Situations: Life Starts Now
by KouenTaisa
Summary: A series of moments in the lives of Lexie Grey and Mark Sloan as they wade through their hostile environment. Together, or apart. Expect other couples, and perhaps some of those same people we love from Oceanside Wellness. Enjoy.
1. One

Author: Alright, this is the first thing that I have written in forever. It's going to be a series of Lexie/Sloan moments, with perhaps some other couples tossed in for the fun of it. I have come to adore this couple, and I might not right a lot of dialogue because I am forever horrified of screwing them up. Anyways, I do hope that everyone enjoys this. They will come in sets of three, so here is the first.

**Were**

They were happy.

It was one of the things she would always remember when she looked back upon their relationship. They had always been happy together, even when she caused him pain. Even when the hostile environment closed in around them, they had been happy.

Then he asked her to move in.

Then George died.

Then... things didn't change.

**Changed**

No one had been able to change him. He was a man whore who slept with everyone that he could. He drank too much, and most of the time he didn't care about anyone else but himself, and perhaps Derek, but she changed him.

She, Lexie Grey, changed him, Mark Sloan.

He cared, when she was around. He only slept with her, and he hardly ever went out drinking. They were strong. They were right. They _were._

**Three**

"I love you."

He had never said those words to anyone else, and he doubted that he ever would. Lexie was something special. She was someone who cared about him and respected him. She was someone, and that was definitely better than no one.

Of course, in the silence that followed his statement, he wondered if those three little words had been too much.


	2. Two

Author: I hadn't been in the mood to write until I was randomly watching Wolverine: Origins, and I just started typing up a storm. I was thinking about Lexie and Mark, and the past episodes and everything, and I just... started typing. I think that perhaps, after every episode, I'll write up three of these and post them. I hope that doesn't make everyone mad. **Set after and around 6.03.**

**Settling**

Mark didn't like settling for things. He was a man who got his way, or usually got nothing at all. Even though they had argued about living together, for once, he had settled. He really, _really_ wanted his way, but he was positive that if he waited long enough she could come around to his way of thinking.

Mark Sloan wasn't a man that settled, but for Lexie, he was willing to give a little.

**Stress**

Lexie was crying when he found her out in the waiting room. At first, he immediately thought that she had been one of the people cut, and he felt anger and indignation flare in his chest. She was one of the best out of her class, and she had potential. There would be no reason for Richard to get rid of her.

He took the seat beside her, instantly trying to calm her down. "No way. Are you serious? I'm gonna go the Chief myself, I'm gonna tell him you're the best second year resident I've even seen-"

Lexie shook her head fervently, even though it was still buried in her hands. She just couldn't seem to stop crying.

"No. I'm safe. I didn't get cut, Mark. I'm safe."

The stress was getting to all of them.

**Jealous**

She knew there was nothing to worry about, but her boyfriend was living in the apartment across from his best friend, who had slept with him before, and who didn't care to just walk into his apartment while he was in the shower. Lexie knew there wasn't a reason to be jealous, but she was. She was a woman, damn it, and some things she just couldn't control.

Callie was a lesbian. Callie was dating Arizona Robins, and she could care less about Mark's body anymore. They were just friends. Still, after all of the stress... after all of the death and worry, she showed up at Mark's door with a suitcase. All he could do was smile as he opened the door wide for her.

She shouldn't be jealous, but when you're in love, you get to have some rights.


	3. Three

Author: This story will probably get updated once a week after the new episode has aired. I was sadden at the utter lack of my favorite couple, but the moments they had were sweet, for the most part. **Takes place around 6.04.**

**Talk**

He didn't know what he felt when he noticed Lexie in the hallway. At first he felt his stomach flip, thinking that she was there for him. Then he thought that, perhaps, she had found a good surgery and come to scrub in on her off day for a better chance. Then he got close, and after a brief exchange, he realized that she was there to **be** in the O.R.

At first, he felt confused, because they were together, damn it, and they needed to talk about these things. Then, he felt upset because she was being stubborn and not listening to anything that he was saying. Then, he felt angry and hurt all at the same time because, even though he was her boyfriend, that was her father, and they didn't compare. He walked away, all of his emotions suppressed in an instant.

All he had wanted was to talk.

**Anything**

He had walked around the entire hospital in a rage, feeling the anger and hurt boiling over until he snapped at a few nurses and even some of the interns. He caught himself, however, and relaxed before he entered the patients room. Once again, his "children" were in there, telling him that this was a ridiculous surgery and if he had it, they would take him home. He didn't know what hit him, but he started talking and he just couldn't stop.

Because most children would give up anything to help their parents, to save them, without a second thought to their own well being. He paused, and her face, the look in her eyes as she told him that was her father popped into his head.

She would give up anything to help her father, to save him, without a second thought to her own well being.

That's what kids do when they love their parents, after all.

**Sleep**

He'd found her in the waiting room, sitting in one of the chairs by herself. She was ringing her hands together, trying to keep herself occupied, even though her mind was split between father and sister, well, half-sister anyway. Her eyes darted from side to side of the waiting room, and then to the floor, and then up, perhaps trying to catch a glimpse of something interesting that would distract her for a moment or two. She found nothing, and quickly moved on to biting her bottom lip as she sat there.

Alone. Afraid.

He walked over to her, even though they had argued earlier. Even though he felt hurt, because she hadn't told him before hand of her plans, he understood now. She was a good kid. One that would do anything for her father, even if it meant putting herself to harm, because she loved him. He sat down beside her, reaching out and grabbing her hands, forcing them to be still for a moment.

She turned her head, looking up at him with her beautiful, sad eyes and he felt his chest constrict a little. She was his person. His Lexie. His.

"It's going to be okay, Lex," he pointed out, moving to wrap and arm around her shoulders and pull her to his side. Even with the chair arms between them, she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling drained from all of the crying earlier. She closed her eyes, trying to keep herself together.

"What if they both die, Mark? I won't- I won't have anyone..." she mumbled, feeling her body start to tremble. He pulled her tighter to his side, knowing that she was distraught over the entire situation.

"You'll have me Lex... now get some sleep. You can't do anything else," he pointed out softly.

She did.


	4. Four

Author: I hated **6.05** because where the hell was Mark? He was not there, not even once. So... yeah. That's it. My heart ached, and if you check my other story, you'll probably find about three or four chapters posted to it soonish.

**Missing**

Around every corner, he was there, in the back of her mind. She remembered kissing him here, or flirting here, or perhaps having sex right _there_. She remembered it all today, and she really didn't know why. Perhaps he was gone, and in just an hour they were expecting the new residents from Mercy West.

She really wished he was there, but he wasn't, and so she stayed on the balcony with the others and stared at doors... waiting for the people that would ruin her life.

She really did miss him.

**Home**

The hotel was comfortable. Nice. Warm. It was decked out with everything he might need or want, except for Lexie. She wasn't here, and he hated it. He'd become so used to having her by his side that he felt a physical ache without her. It was ridiculous, but it was there and he picked up his phone to call her.

His blue eyes darted to the time, and he stopped. It was early, and she would probably already be at the hospital working her ass off so that she wouldn't get cut. He sighed, setting his phone down and grabbing his jacket.

He couldn't wait to get back home.

**Invasion**

When she went home that night, she didn't know what to tell him when she called. He was doing a consult at a different hospital and he wouldn't be home until tomorrow. She was used to having him around after a hard day at work, and she missed him not being here. She missed him and it was one of the worst feelings in the world.

She pressed number one on her speed dial, even as her mind went back through the days events. They were going to get cut. She didn't know how many, or why, but it was happening and she was scared. Today, for the first time, it felt like there were no rules. The Mercy West residents were crossing lines without reprimand, and if they tried to keep up, they were the ones that got cuffed and sent to the back of the line.

"Hey, Lex, you there?" his voice was soft on the other end of the phone, but concerned. Apparently, she'd missed him answering.

"I'm here, sorry, just got caught up in a thought." she rambled, moving to their bedroom as she kicked off her shoes. It was dark, and she didn't even bother to turn on the lights.

"Are you okay?" he asked, moving around his hotel room. He was heading to the bed in the dark, letting the faint moonlight guide his steps. He wanted her.

"... the new residents are harsh, Mark. And cold. And... they're not us and they don't get us and they get all of the surgeries and they don't get caught crossing the lines we used to cross and I just... they cut Izzie today." she trailed off at the end, unsure of what else to say.

"... I'm sorry, Lex."

She knew that he was, and things would be better with him there... but nothing would stop the invasion.


End file.
